Texas to open 100%

[Dan Murphy]

Currently, Texas is 48th in vaccine administering per capita. Alabama is 49th, Georgia, 50th.

Daily cases are up 75.9% over last 10 days, deaths have doubled. When mask mandate was implemented in July, 6,294 daily case average. Now, even higher, 7,045 daily case average.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I just *heard* yesterday (I should go look for a link) that they've now confirmed that reinfection is happening with the Brazil variant with apparently very little lag time between infections. That was a news soundbite so not sure of all the details there.

You really need to watch this;

 

[VandVsmama]

Anybody who has an issue with Texas removing state-wide COVID mandates should not travel to Texas. Same for other states that have done the same. It's pretty simple.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Anybody who has an issue with Texas removing state-wide COVID mandates should not travel to Texas. Same for other states that have done the same. It's pretty simple.

That is good sense.

However, just in time for spring break, masks are no longer mandatory. College kids from probably every state in the country, fed up with the past year of mandates, remotes, masks, virus testing, shut downs, whatever, say, 'hey, let's go to Texas for a blast, no masks, no nothing'. Good for business. However, when break is over, they go back home, to their home states. And so it continues.

Lots of nice, warm spring destinations here.

www.vacationidea.com/texas/spring-break-texas.html

 

[MillauFr]

That is good sense.

However, just in time for spring break, masks are no longer mandatory. College kids from probably every state in the country, fed up with the past year of mandates, remotes, masks, virus testing, shut downs, whatever, say, 'hey, let's go to Texas for a blast, no masks, no nothing'. Good for business. However, when break is over, they go back home, to their home states. And so it continues.

Lots of nice, warm spring destinations here.

www.vacationidea.com/texas/spring-break-texas.html

They could get a screaming good deal on an AirBnb home that doesn't have any running water yet due to the recent freeze.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Daily cases are up 75.9% over last 10 days, deaths have doubled.

Keep in mind that reporting/testing was likely impacted by the weather in Texas 10 days ago. Not sure I would use that as a reference point.

 

[sam_gordon]

That is good sense.

However, just in time for spring break, masks are no longer mandatory. College kids from probably every state in the country, fed up with the past year of mandates, remotes, masks, virus testing, shut downs, whatever, say, 'hey, let's go to Texas for a blast, no masks, no nothing'. Good for business. However, when break is over, they go back home, to their home states. And so it continues.

Lots of nice, warm spring destinations here.

www.vacationidea.com/texas/spring-break-texas.html

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California


Florida:


In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

ETA: Before anyone brings up population, according to Worldometer, CA has had just over 90k cases/million and FL 89k/million. CA does slightly better on deaths, 1.3k/million vs Florida's 1.4k/million.

Just for grins, Texas has 92k cases/million and 1.5k deaths/million.

 

[danissmart]

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California
View attachment 560265

Florida:
View attachment 560266

In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

I admire your persistence. But this will be ignored.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California
View attachment 560265

Florida:
View attachment 560266

In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

I don’t know the answers, so I’m just putting this out there are things to consider.

1) CA has strict lockdown policies & mask mandates. That doesn’t mean they were followed. Also understand the lockdowns led to high transmission events (much more indoor). I don’t agree with the strict lockdown here.

2) Florida continues to be plagued with the belief that they are not reporting accurate numbers. I don’t have any skin in the game to say whether there is evidence for that belief,(and that goes beyond the fired woman) but if it’s true, that could explain things.

3) comparing actual numbers of CA to FL is ridiculous. We are almost double their population. Los Angeles County, which was an epicenter, alone is the half the population of their entire state. That is 10 million people in 4759 sq miles. What you should maybe be looking at is percent positive and CA, as of today is down to 2.4% for the 7 day rolling average and that is much better than FL at 6%. So there could be an argument that SOME mitigation factors are worth it.

But I guess all we can do is wait and see how it goes in TX.

 

[Pyotr]

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California
View attachment 560265

Florida:
View attachment 560266

In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

ETA: Before anyone brings up population, according to Worldometer, CA has had just over 90k cases/million and FL 89k/million. CA does slightly better on deaths, 1.3k/million vs Florida's 1.4k/million.

Just for grins, Texas has 92k cases/million and 1.5k deaths/million.

Because people are so invested in “mask up” and lockdown, they cannot accept the fact that none of it mattered. The virus is running its course until there aren’t any more persons to infect.

It’s amazing, the virus didn’t really care about someone’s political viewpoint.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California

Florida:


In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

It's interesting data for sure but a couple points:
1. Your data should be cases per 100k, not totals. California has twice as many people so having more cases isn't a surprise.
2. Many businesses/counties in Florida had mask mandates even if the state didn't.

I think it's interesting to look at cases per 100k as that shows some pretty clear correlation between how aggressive states were in handling this and their results:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

 

[Dan Murphy]

I've asked multiple times in this thread and gotten nothing but crickets. Maybe you will be willing to answer. Looking at the "new case" charts for Florida (who has had no state mask mandate and to my knowledge no other state mandated precautions) and California (who is "lock down central" according to previous poster), the graph is very similar if not virtually identical. Here you go to refresh your memory...
California
View attachment 560265

Florida:
View attachment 560266

In fact, California has MORE cases. So, how do you determine that mask mandates and lock downs work? Yes, Florida had a larger "1st wave", but shouldn't Florida have seen a much steeper rise (and less of a fall) if opening things up was that dangerous?

ETA: Before anyone brings up population, according to Worldometer, CA has had just over 90k cases/million and FL 89k/million. CA does slightly better on deaths, 1.3k/million vs Florida's 1.4k/million.

Just for grins, Texas has 92k cases/million and 1.5k deaths/million.

Best I can see, Sam, from a casual look at the two charts, is that since the Christmas peak in both states (I'm sure all states, I know that was Illinois peak) that the thankful decline has been steeper in CA, more gradual, more flat in FL.

 

[sam_gordon]

3) comparing actual numbers of CA to FL is ridiculous. We are almost double their population. Los Angeles County, which was an epicenter, alone is the half the population of their entire state. That is 10 million people in 4759 sq miles. What you should maybe be looking at is percent positive and CA, as of today is down to 2.4% for the 7 day rolling average and that is much better than FL at 6%. So there could be an argument that SOME mitigation factors are worth it.

It's interesting data for sure but a couple points:
1. Your data should be cases per 100k, not totals. California has twice as many people so having more cases isn't a surprise.
2. Many businesses/counties in Florida had mask mandates even if the state didn't.

I went back and edited my post, I guess you quoted before I did. So, I'll post the edit here:

ETA: Before anyone brings up population, according to Worldometer, CA has had just over 90k cases/million and FL 89k/million. CA does slightly better on deaths, 1.3k/million vs Florida's 1.4k/million.

Just for grins, Texas has 92k cases/million and 1.5k deaths/million.

 

[sam_gordon]

Best I can see, Sam, from a casual look at the two charts, is that since the Christmas peak in both states (I'm sure all states, I know that was Illinois peak) that the thankful decline has been steeper in CA, more gradual, more flat in FL.

Don't disagree. But shouldn't Florida's "wide openess" had led to an even flatter decline?

 

[sam_gordon]

1) CA has strict lockdown policies & mask mandates. That doesn’t mean they were followed. Also understand the lockdowns led to high transmission events (much more indoor). I don’t agree with the strict lockdown here.

While I'm sure the lockdowns were made with the best of intentions, in hindsight, were they really a good idea? Did it really help that much?

2) Florida continues to be plagued with the belief that they are not reporting accurate numbers. I don’t have any skin in the game to say whether there is evidence for that belief,(and that goes beyond the fired woman) but if it’s true, that could explain things.

That is very possible and would definitely skew the numbers. But, you could say that about ANY state. As I said upthread, the percent positive for my state is drastically (I consider 7% a drastic difference) different than what Johns Hopkins has. So who's wrong? The state or JHI?

2. Many businesses/counties in Florida had mask mandates even if the state didn't.

True. And Texas could do the same.

 

[Nicolepa]

I live in Texas and I agree with this also. I think I will continue to wear a mask. I don’t think much will change. Most businesses will probably still require it. Even prior to this if you didn’t wear a mask most larger stores wouldn’t say anything.

Every place I frequent on a regular basis has said they are going to continue to require masks. The only places I have seen a hint of change is in resturants, and if we are being honest, how long does one really wear a mask when in a resturant. No matter what their stance for customers 100% I have looked at have said their staff will remain masked.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Don't disagree. But shouldn't Florida's "wide openess" had led to an even flatter decline?

A reasonable assumption. Altered possibly by how much individual mitigation efforts have been followed by individuals in spite of the state's overall health laxity. Even though FL most likely has an older age population than CA, those same older FL citizens may have been more vigilant in their personal mitigations, knowing the weighted consequences of lax personal mitigation efforts As an old guy here, even though I am a resident of a fairly 'tough state' I have been very vigilant in doing all I can do to mitigate my own risks.

 

[EMom]

Keep in mind that reporting/testing was likely impacted by the weather in Texas 10 days ago. Not sure I would use that as a reference point.

COVID vaccinations came to a halt for a week. That seriously affected the vaccination rates. The same would be true for any state experiencing something like a hurricane or flooding. To compare vaccination rates without factoring that in is ridiculous.

 

[Olaf Myfrenzargay]

Here’s a thought. If you don’t like the mask policy of an establishment, don’t enter,

 

[jlwhitney]

Because people are so invested in “mask up” and lockdown, they cannot accept the fact that none of it mattered. The virus is running its course until there aren’t any more persons to infect.

It’s amazing, the virus didn’t really care about someone’s political viewpoint.

I also think those that pushed for and praised the areas of the strict mask mandates and lockdowns don’t want to admit that they didn’t do nearly as much as they thought they would or told they would.

You are correct the virus is gonna spread till it runs out.